How to Prevent Frozen Pipes (and What to Do If One Bursts)

To prevent frozen pipes, keep the heat on at the same temperature day and night and never below 55F, let a faucet served by exposed pipes drip during hard freezes, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, and insulate pipes in attics, crawl spaces and garages. State Farm says to pay special attention to uninsulated spaces once the temperature drops below 20F, because that is when pipes there are most likely to freeze and burst.

Why frozen pipes are worth the effort

A frozen pipe often does not burst where the ice is. Pressure builds between the ice and the closed faucet, and the pipe splits there, sometimes inside a wall or ceiling. When the ice thaws, water pours out until someone shuts the main valve.

The bills are large. State Farm reports that from January 2024 through June 2025 it handled more than 20,000 winter water damage claims, paid more than $628 million in losses, and saw an average claim payment of more than $30,000. The states with the highest total costs were Illinois, Oregon, Washington, Texas and Tennessee. That list is a reminder that homes in milder climates are at risk too, often because their pipes run through spaces that were never built for hard freezes.

Across all water damage and freezing claims, the Insurance Information Institute puts the average payout at about $15,400 for 2019 to 2023, with about one in 60 insured homes filing such a claim each year. To see how freeze risk compares across US cities, check the water damage risk index.

Before winter: the prevention checklist

Most of this takes an afternoon and costs little. The steps come from the American Red Cross, State Farm and the Insurance Information Institute.

The Red Cross also notes that even a quarter inch of newspaper wrapped around exposed pipes can give useful protection in areas that rarely have long freezes. It is a stopgap, not a fix, but it beats bare pipe.

During a cold snap

When a hard freeze is forecast, a few habits make the biggest difference.

Let a faucet drip

The Red Cross says to let cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent freezing. The Insurance Information Institute suggests opening both hot and cold taps enough to drip slowly. Pick the faucets farthest from where the water enters the house, and any on outside walls.

Keep the heat steady

Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night. The Red Cross points out that skipping the lower overnight setting may raise your heating bill, but it can prevent a much more costly repair. The Insurance Information Institute suggests a minimum of 65 degrees during severe cold, because the air inside walls where pipes run is substantially colder than the room.

Open cabinets and close the garage

Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warmer air reaches the plumbing, and move cleaners and chemicals out of children's reach while they are open. Keep garage doors closed if water lines run through the garage.

If you will be away

Leave the heat on, set no lower than 55F, according to the Red Cross. For a longer trip, the Insurance Information Institute suggests having the water system drained by a professional and asking a neighbor to check the house regularly. Quick action on a frozen or leaking pipe means far less damage than a leak found a week later.

How to tell a pipe is frozen and thaw it safely

If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. The Red Cross says likely spots are pipes against exterior walls and where your water service enters the house through the foundation.

Safe ways to thaw

Keep the faucet open. As the ice melts, running water helps clear the rest. Apply heat to the frozen section using one of these:

• an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe
• an electric hair dryer, starting near the faucet and working back
• a portable space heater kept away from anything flammable
• towels soaked in hot water and wrapped around the pipe

Keep heating until full water pressure returns, then check every other faucet in the house, because if one pipe froze, others may have too.

What never to use

Do not use a blowtorch, a kerosene or propane heater, a charcoal stove or any other open flame. State Farm also warns against using electrical appliances near standing water. If you cannot find the frozen section, cannot reach it, or cannot get it to thaw, the Red Cross says to call a licensed plumber.

If a pipe bursts

Act in this order:

1. Shut off the main water valve and leave the faucets open, as State Farm advises, so the remaining water drains out.
2. If water is near outlets, fixtures or the breaker panel, stay out of the wet area and turn off power only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot.
3. Photograph the damage and the broken pipe before anything is moved.
4. Call a plumber to repair the pipe and a restoration company to start drying.
5. Call your insurer to open a claim.

Speed matters after the water is off. EPA says that if wet materials are dried within 24 to 48 hours, mold will not grow in most cases. Water from a supply pipe starts clean, but it soaks into drywall, insulation and carpet pad fast, and some of it will need to come out. Our burst pipe water damage page explains what the crew does on arrival, and how long water damage takes to dry covers the usual timeline.

On insurance, the Insurance Information Institute says standard homeowners policies cover burst pipes as sudden and accidental damage. Policies can limit coverage for damage from a lack of maintenance or for a home left unheated, so read the freezing section of yours. The guide does homeowners insurance cover water damage walks through the details, and what to do after water damage has a full first-hour checklist.

If a pipe has already burst, the main is off and water is still in the walls or under the floor, the next step is extraction and drying. One free call connects you with an independent local restoration company. Lines are open 24/7 and there is no obligation to hire.